Vauxhall Ramps Up EV Offering Thanks to PSA

British marque Vauxhall is gearing up to join the EV party with the announcement of two new electric powertrains for its models a year ahead of its planned schedule.

Topping the list of new models for 2019 is its full-size SUV Vauxhall Grandland X which will boast a plug-in hybrid powertrain claiming the equivalent of up to 300PS with e-motor all wheel drive. At the other end of the scale, the compact hatchback Corsa BEV is claiming to offer full-electric power to the mass market at a competitive price.

Following on from these a year later will be the next-generation versions of the Mokka X SUV and Vivaro van, both and hoping to emulate the sales success of their existing models as regular features in the UK’s top-ten bestsellers lists.

The move to accelerate EV development is a clear result of the brand, and its sister German brand Opel, having been taken over in 2017 by the French PSA Group which is far ahead with its EV strategy for its other brands including Peugeot, Citroën and DS. This is even less surprising considering that the Grandland X draws from other group technology being based on the PSA EM2 chassis platform shared with the DS 7 Crossback which already enjoys a PHEV powertrain in its E-Tense 4×4 to be launched early next year.

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in London. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_

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